We know that how much we eat contributes to whether we gain or lose weight or stay the same. Calories are the way we measure the energy in foods and have been studied by scientists for years. In order to lose weight, you must take in fewer calories than the amount of energy your body burns each day.

We know we can’t eat everything in the frig and expect to lose weight, so the first step is to figure out how many calories our body needs. How many calories does your body burn each day? Not many people know this, and everyone’s burn rate differs, depending on size, gender and exercise level.

But think about it: if you don’t know how many calories your body burns every day, how do you know how much you can eat? The challenge of eating the right amount is knowing how much you need—and once you know that, you’ll be more likely to continue to shed pounds after your 9- or 30-day cleanse is completed, until you reach your goal weight. So what is your burn rate? Use the table below to estimate your body’s calorie needs:

[American Dietetic Assn Complete Food & Nutrition Guide by Roberta Larson Duyff]

Look up your weight and exercise level, and the number you find is your personal burn rate. To lose weight and inches, subtract 300 to 500 calories from that number.

PERSONAL BURN NUMBER

Now we are going to break that number down into smaller pieces, to give an idea of the right number of calories per meal or per smack, based on your personal burn rate. Looking at it in this manner is a much easier way to develop awareness, almost a sixth sense, in making sensible eating choices. Use the table below as a general guide to distributing your calories throughout the day.

If you are trying to eat 1600 calories per day, a good approach would be to have 2 snacks at 100 to 125 calories each, and your meals at around 400 calories each.

Rather than keeping track or counting calories exactly, it’s easy to step up your awareness of the calories in foods simply by reading labels! Flip the package over and look at the calories per serving and how big a serving is.

Also, you can choose your meals and snacks from the Sensible Foods lists we’ve provided—there are many that have calorie levels that match your target numbers on the chart above. And each day it becomes easier, almost second nature.

You’ve either done a 9-day or 30-day cleanse because your goal was start living a healthier life. Choosing healthier foods is an important step!